Taking all 4 wheels of my car - axle stands only? Or more...
Discussion
My alloys are getting refurbished next week and logistically it's easier to take all 4 wheels off at my dad's workshop, then cart them down to the refurbishers and back. This means the car will be without its wheels for 24 hours max. We have: 4x Axle stands, 2x Jacks, 1x Secure workshop and tons of wood/bricks/materials for building supports.
So apart from getting the thing onto the axle stands, what other supports would you recommend to offset my fear of the thing slipping, sill first, onto the concrete? Leave both jacks in appropriate places? Build up supports with brick and wood? Dad reckons it’ll be fine on the stands only but I’m not convinced; my 9-3 isn’t as light as his MG BGT!
So apart from getting the thing onto the axle stands, what other supports would you recommend to offset my fear of the thing slipping, sill first, onto the concrete? Leave both jacks in appropriate places? Build up supports with brick and wood? Dad reckons it’ll be fine on the stands only but I’m not convinced; my 9-3 isn’t as light as his MG BGT!
You will be fine with just axle stands. They are designed to take like at least 1.5 tons each. Also they are designed to hold cars up, unlike piles of wood or bricks which will be much more unstable.
But if you are still worried then it wouldn't hurt to put extra material next to the axle stands if you wanted. Although it will be a waste of time IMHO.
But if you are still worried then it wouldn't hurt to put extra material next to the axle stands if you wanted. Although it will be a waste of time IMHO.
I sent my wheels on my Audi convertible for refurb and used 4 axle stands intially but I noticed that the body flexed as the door gap changed a bit with the entire weight of the engine out in front of the axle stand.
It was OK doing one side at a time but both sides in the air together, I feel would have been a mistake.
I used a pair of ramps under the engine mounts and front suspension instead and that worked a treat. I jacked the car and pushed them under with a block of woork on top of the ramp to protect the car a littel more.
It was OK doing one side at a time but both sides in the air together, I feel would have been a mistake.
I used a pair of ramps under the engine mounts and front suspension instead and that worked a treat. I jacked the car and pushed them under with a block of woork on top of the ramp to protect the car a littel more.
Kentish said:
I sent my wheels on my Audi convertible for refurb and used 4 axle stands intially but I noticed that the body flexed as the door gap changed a bit with the entire weight of the engine out in front of the axle stand.
It was OK doing one side at a time but both sides in the air together, I feel would have been a mistake.
I used a pair of ramps under the engine mounts and front suspension instead and that worked a treat. I jacked the car and pushed them under with a block of woork on top of the ramp to protect the car a littel more.
This is what I was most afriad of, but figure if I have one of the jacks supporting the front that would help things. Got a couple of old tyres as well so can always stack them up under the engine to give more support if need be.It was OK doing one side at a time but both sides in the air together, I feel would have been a mistake.
I used a pair of ramps under the engine mounts and front suspension instead and that worked a treat. I jacked the car and pushed them under with a block of woork on top of the ramp to protect the car a littel more.
Cheers for the replies
My advice is use 3 stands and the spare wheel on the rear with the handbrake on good and tight and chocks either side of the wheel. Four stands are fine once it is off the ground, but the car can get a bit unstable while being lifted and dropped on to stands unless all four corners are raised and then lowered at the same time. Using the spare gives the car a little rocking leeway while being lifted.
You might be ok with 4 stands using the two jacks simultaneously if you can co-ordinate lifting/lowering with a mate (raise front end, drop on to stands, then move jacks and raise the back).
You might be ok with 4 stands using the two jacks simultaneously if you can co-ordinate lifting/lowering with a mate (raise front end, drop on to stands, then move jacks and raise the back).
I have done that in the past but if under it I dig my ramps out and stick them under it, along with the wheels and anything else that will keep it off me if it falls, might seem overkill but someone was visiting next door and to turn round reversed up my drive and judged the car I was under well enough (didnt know that at the time)but didnt see all my stuff on the floor and reversed over it !
Cue one sheepish looking old lady being told off by an angry me, pretty alarming being under a car and hearing metal scraping, an engine revving and the back of a car coming for the one you are under, luckily nothing was broken but my pants needed changing
Basically, dont ever leave to to chance, visualise lying under a car havign the life crushed out of you and you soon get pretty safe, that incident decided me, as did a chap on Scoobynet sayign how a friend died under a Transit he was working on.
Love the idea of the Audi gradually turning into a Banana !
Cue one sheepish looking old lady being told off by an angry me, pretty alarming being under a car and hearing metal scraping, an engine revving and the back of a car coming for the one you are under, luckily nothing was broken but my pants needed changing
Basically, dont ever leave to to chance, visualise lying under a car havign the life crushed out of you and you soon get pretty safe, that incident decided me, as did a chap on Scoobynet sayign how a friend died under a Transit he was working on.
Love the idea of the Audi gradually turning into a Banana !
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